Southern Ohio Medical Center

SOMC named to Best Places to Work For list two years in a row

January 22, 2009 » Officials at FORTUNE magazine have announced that Southern Ohio Medical Center is listed 68th as one of the Top 100 Places to Work in the United States. This honor has been given to SOMC two years in a row.

“This confirms that our family atmosphere of caring for our patients as well as each other has made us a great place to work,” said Vicki Noel, Vice President of Human Resources at Southern Ohio Medical Center.

The distinction is given based on an evaluation of various workplace attributes including hiring processes, celebrating in the workplace, caring among team members and communication. A majority of the process is weighted by the thoughts and opinions of the employees of SOMC. SOMC was evaluated against various organizations across the United States including large corporations and other healthcare organizations.

A driving factor for the companies on this year’s list is that they excel at creating jobs. Of the 100 companies on the 2009 list, 73 are currently hiring.

In his FORTUNE.com blog, Managing Editor Andy Serwer writes, “No matter what happens with the economy, the demand for talent will remain. Great companies know that super-motivated, happy, world-class employees are an incredible competitive advantage.”

“This is quite an honor for our organization,” said Randy Arnett, President and CEO of Southern Ohio Medical Center. “It only further proves that SOMC houses some of the best employees in the nation.”

Arnett said the distinction will not only emanate pride to our community through employees, but will also help with recruitment and retention.

“People want to be a part of something great. This distinction, as well as our Magnet Designation, VPP Star Status and also serving as the Best Employer in the state of Ohio will be a way to show those seeking employment, that SOMC is the place to be,” he said.

In the next few weeks, SOMC will receive a feedback report and the ranking of the organization based on data accumulated from the evaluation process. SOMC is always searching for methods of gathering information to make adjustments and improvements in work life.

“Listening to our employees is important. Based on feedback from various venues such as the Employee Opinion Survey and distinctions such as this, we have made changes to our organization that will continue to make SOMC a great place to work. We will continue to listen and learn from those who make the greatest impact on our organization – our SOMC team,” Noel said.

FORTUNE is a global leader in business journalism with a worldwide circulation of more than 1 million and a readership of nearly 5 million, with major franchises including the FORTUNE 500 and the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For. FORTUNE Live Media extends the brand's mission into live settings, hosting a wide range of annual conferences, including the FORTUNE Global Forum. FORTUNE magazine’s online home is CNNMoney.com, the most visited and utilized business destination website.

SOMC Named Second Among Best Employers in Ohio

Southern Ohio Medical Center has been ranked second among the Best Employers in Ohio for 2009, making an appearance on the list for the fourth consecutive year. Pictured are SOMC Emergency Department staff members (l to r) Jeanne Turpin, Tracy Scott, Jason Ross and Dr. Jason Cheatham.

July 24, 2009 » The Society for Human Resource Management, Ohio State Council and Best Companies Group recently announced that Southern Ohio Medical Center has been ranked second among the Best Employers in Ohio.

“This is quite an honor for our organization and further proves that SOMC houses some of the best employees in the nation,” SOMC CEO Randy Arnett said. “The selection is based largely on the survey of our own employees and their view of our organization and says a lot about us as a quality employer and a great place to work.”

The survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the Best Employers in Ohio, benefiting the state’s economy, its workforce and businesses. The distinction is given based on an evaluation of various attributes including hiring processes, celebration in the workplace, caring among team members and communication.

“We are very proud of the family atmosphere here at SOMC, which resonates in our relationships with one another and with our patients,” Vicki Noel, vice president of SOMC Human Resources, said.

“This recognition, along with our Magnet Designation, VPP Star Status and FORTUNE Best Places to Work distinction, not only emanates pride to our community through employees, but also strengthens our recruitment and retention efforts.”  

The 2009 Best Employers list is made up of 20 companies split into two categories: 10 small/medium-sized companies (15-249 employees) and 10 large-sized companies (250 and more employees). SOMC has been named among other large companies and is on the list for the fourth consecutive year.

To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill eligibility requirements which include being a for-profit, not-for-profit business or government entity; being a publicly or privately held business; having a facility in Ohio; having at least 25 employees in Ohio; and being in business for a minimum of one year.

Companies then were required to enter a two-part survey process to determine the Best Employers list.

The first section of the survey evaluated each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics; the second measured employee experience and satisfaction. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking, which was managed by the Best Companies Group with assistance from ModernThink LLC.

For more information on the Best Employers in Ohio program, please visit www.bestemployersoh.com.